4 reasons you need more massage in your life
(BPT) - Take a lap around the mall or flip through the catalogs in your mail pile, and you’ll quickly notice a saturation of massage products in the market right now. While some of these gadgets are gimmicks, some are definitely not, especially if you live by the recommended 150 minutes of weekly exercise. According to Chris Freytag, wellness expert and founder of Get Healthy U, one key to maintaining this healthy routine is consistent massage.
“I know exactly what you’re thinking: massages are expensive and time-consuming,” says Freytag. “But you can still reap all the benefits of massage by self-massaging at home for just 10 minutes a few days a week.”
Freytag points to these benefits of massage, and reasons why it should become part of your health routine:
1. Relieves muscle tension and pain
We have all had those days when simply reaching down to lace up a pair of tennis shoes is a task too painful to complete. An athletic injury, sleeping in the wrong position, or lifting a heavy box can all cause havoc on your muscles and stop you dead in your tracks for days. A continued massage regimen can help relieve this muscle pain, tension and soreness.
Numerous research studies have found massage therapy can be an effective short-term and long-term treatment to help people with chronic back pain. If you’ve experienced the sweet relief that comes with putting a heating pad on a painful area like the back, or if you’ve had the luxury to try a hot stone massage, what about trying a heated self-massager? For example, the Wahl Hot/Cold Therapy Massager offers a heat therapy attachment that increases blood flow which causes tight muscles to relax. Furthermore, when you feel like you need a little relief after a tough workout or rough day, its cold attachment can reduce swelling and inflammation.
2. Improves sleep
If catching a few z’s is easier said than done, give massage a chance. According to studies, massage increases delta waves, a type of brain wave that is linked with deep sleep. Sleep is an extremely important part of a healthy lifestyle, and chronic sleep deprivation has been proven to lead to weight gain, mood changes, hypertension, and can alter the immune function for the worse.
3. Reduces stress and anxiety
An hour-long session sprawled out on a table with candles, essential oils and light instrumental music playing in the background is extremely Zen, but luckily for you, you don’t need to book an appointment to de-stress and relax. Studies have backed up the fact that a massage can reduce stress and anxiety and improve mood in addition to increasing serotonin and dopamine, which can reduce depression. So enlist a partner or grab a handheld self-massager and start.
4. Decreases inflammation
Inflammation of the muscles occurs as a reaction to an injury or infection. While the basis behind inflammation is to protect the body, chronic inflammation is never a good thing, and this is where a massage can help. The Wahl Deep Tissue Percussion Massager attacks muscle pain that hides deep below the surface, reducing inflammation while increasing levels of protein that ensure muscles recover more quickly. The handle on this massager is longer than most self-massagers, so you’re able to reach your entire back on your own.
If you want more info about self-massagers, WahlMassagers.com is a great resource on massage benefits, techniques, tools and testimonials.
